The present invention relates to the field of cutting tools and more particularly to such tools utilized for cutting of stone and concrete, along such forms as wall and floor surfaces.
Development of circular saw blades having the capability of efficiently cutting stone and concrete has led to the development and utilization of equipment that will easily and quickly perform cutting opertions in floors and walls of concrete, marble, etc. where previously such projects could only be accomplished through use of conventional "jack hammers" or other related and substantially inconvenient tools.
One cutting device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,378,307 granted to E. J. Dempsy et al on April 16, 1968. In this device, a rectangular rail is utilized to span a pair of stanchions which are secured to the working surface. A truck is movably mounted to the rectangular rail and completely encircles its cross-sectional periphery. A pair of standards protrude perpendicularly from this truck to provide sliding support for a cutting head carriage. The carriage is movably positioned on the upright standards by a manually operable crank. Movement of the truck along the rectangular rail is provided by a manually operable worm and worm gear arrangement. A pinion connected to the worm gear engages teeth that are formed integrally within the rectangular rail. The truck, since it encircles the rectangular rail, will not move beyond the stanchions which extend from the rail to the working surface.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,323,507, and 3,396,713 both granted to A. Schuman on June 6, 1967 and Aug. 13, 1968 respectfully, disclose a concrete saw guide and cutting machine. The concrete saw guide is comprised of a series of interconnected tracks that are bolted directly to the surface to be cut. A rack is provided on one longitudinal side of the guide, and an elongated hold-down bar is provided on the remaining side. The guide is of substantial transverse dimension between the rack and the longitudinal guide in order to provide stability to the cutting machine movably mounted thereon. The cutting machine ifself is movably mounted to the guide through a wheel supported truck. Two upright standards protrude from the truck to slidably receive a cutting tool carriage. A crank mechanism is provided to move the carriage along the standards in order to adjust the depth of the cut. A fractional horsepower motor is provided on the truck for driving a pinion that is in meshing engagement with the rack. Operation of the motor, therefore, will cause corresponding movement of the truck cutting assembly along the length of the assembled guide members. Once the guide is rigidly mounted to the surface to be cut, it may not be adjusted laterally. Nor is there any provision made by the cutting machine for locating the cutting blade in different positions on the carriage.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,671,872 granted to E. R. Palisted on May 29, 1928, discloses a stone cutting machine. This machine is designed to be mounted at a stationary location while the material (stone blocks) is brought to the machine. This machine is not capable of performing cutting operations on surfaces such as concrete walls or floors. The machine includes a longitudinal lead screw that moves a truck mechanism along a pair of longitudinal guide surfaces. A cutting tool is mounted to the truck member and is adjustable through a separate screw feeding mechanism to control the depth of cut. The longitudinal guides are held in stationary lateral position by opposed end posts that are ground supported. Any lateral movement of the mechanism relative to a cutting surface is made by moving the cutting surface rather than the cutting machine itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,502,043 granted to F. L. Howard on Mar. 28, 1950 discloses a cutting machine that is intended principally for concrete cutting purposes. This machine includes a pair of longitudinally spaced upright standards that support therebetween, a longitudinal guide tube. A truck is mounted to the tube that, in turn, mounts a cutting head with a pair of circular saw blades. The saw blades rotate in parallel planes and operate simultaneously in order to cut blocks or concrete samples from a wall or floor surface. The standards include paired lead screws that threadably engage a pinion. A worm at either end of a rod (that extends through the guide tube) rotates the respective pinions in order to move the guide tube toward or away from the cutting surface. Longitudinal movement of the cutting blades along the guide tube length is provided through a worm, worm wheel and rack and pinion arrangement. A longitudinal splined shaft is rotatably carried at the opposed ends of the guide tube. The splined shaft slidably carries a worm. Rotation of the splined shaft causes corresponding rotation of the worm which, in turn, is in meshing engagement with a worm wheel. The worm wheel is rotatably carried by the truck housing. The pinion is connected to the worm wheel and meshes with a rack that is affixed to an exterior surface of the guide tube. A crank at the end of the splined shaft is utilized to manually turn the shaft and cause corresponding longitudinal movement of the cutting blades along the guide tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,506,076 to L. I. Garrison granted May 2, 1950 discloses a stone cutting machine that is somewhat similar in structure to the Howard machine. However, Garrison utilizes a wheel assembly for guiding a truck longitudinally along angulated guide surfaces. The truck is moved longitudinally by an exposed, longitudinal lead screw that threadably engages a nut connected to the truck assembly. A cutting blade is operably connected to the truck and may be adjusted toward or away from a cutting surface by lead screws located at longitudinally spaced standards.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,011,530 to E. Lamb granted Dec. 5, 1961 discloses a guide for portable saw. Basically, this device is utilized in combination with a portable circular saw for trimming uneven wood building siding. The guide is comprised of a number of releasably connected channels. The channels receive rollers, which are carried by the base plate of a hand-held circular saw. The guide channel may be affixed to the construction adjacent to a desired trimline. This tube will then guide the saw blade as it is moved by an operator from one end of the cut to the remaining end.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,148,001 granted to B. E. Johnson on Sept. 8, 1964 discloses a mobile power actuated concrete saw with reaction supporting means therefore. This mechanism is utilized primarily for wall cutting purposes and includes a standard that is wedged between a floor and ceiling. It is adjustable, through a plate adapter mechanism, to perform horizontal as well as vertical cuts. This adjustment is provided by way of a first plate that is mounted to a truck on the upright standard and a second plate that is movably secured thereto. The second plate, when loosened from engagement with the first plate, allows rotation of a cutting mechanism (operatively connected to the second plate) to relatively any selected angle about a horizontal axis. The mechanisms for moving the cutting assembly laterally or horizontally are similar to apparatus disclosed above.
Another adjustable cutting tool head is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,662 to L. I. Garrison issued Dec. 6, 1966. This patent discloses a dual head sawing machine wherein two separate sawing heads are mounted to a single longitudinal support. Each head is independently adjustable to set a cutting angle for its attached saw blade. This adjustment is provided by plate and clamp mechanisms that allow rotation of the cutting heads about fixed axes. The cutting heads are longitudinally movable as directed by angular guides positioned on either opposite ends of the cutting tool carriage. A rack and pinion assembly is utilized to move the cutting heads in a longitudinal direction along the opposed parallel guides.
The first object of the present invention is to provide a stone and concrete cutting machine wherein a mechanism is provided to enable extremely accurate cutting through a concrete or stone surface by enabling lateral adjustment of a base guide, and by providing secure yet movable mounting arrangements for a cutting tool on the longitudinal guide base.
A further object is to provide such a machine wherein the driving components are enclosed and therefore protected against the extremely abrasive dust normally produced during concrete and stone cutting operations.
A still further object is to provide such a machine wherein a cutting member may be positioned in several secure locations relative to the guide base.
A still further object is to provide such a machine that includes a truck movably mounted to the base that is capable of movement over the entire base length while the base is rigidly mounted to a cutting surface.
A still further object is to provide a base unit for the present mechanism that may be assembled in separate units to enable extension thereof to a desired length.
These and still further objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description which, taken with the accompanying drawings, disclose a preferred form of the present invention. It is not intended, however, that the following description or attached drawings be taken as limitations upon the scope of my invention. Such limitations are defined only by the claims attached at the end of this application.